Closing gun rule loopholes

Monday, March 25, 2013

It is not true that there are no elected officials in our country with common sense. In fact, a rally on Saturday in West Chester proved the opposite point, that given a few serious moments of thought, our representatives in government can come to the same conclusions that the rest of us have.

The issue in this case is the necessity for closing loopholes in the rules that govern background checks for the purpose of purchasing guns in Pennsylvania and across the nation. Several Chester County officials joined survivors of gun violence and a gun control group Saturday to encourage legislation to require background checks on private gun sales in Pennsylvania.

“We are here today to call on Congress to require background checks for all gun purchases,” said Mayor Carolyn Comitta of West Chester, a longtime backer of public safety when it comes to gun violence – having seen all too often the impact that can have on her constituents. In the past year, guns have been responsible for murders that tok place in highly residential areas of Comitta’s borough.

The new proposal requires for the potential gun buyer to get a background check done at a licensed gun dealer, and the licensed gun dealer would keep the record of the private sale. Pennsylvania law requires background checks on all sales of handguns and on all sales by a federally licensed firearms dealer. Private gun sellers are not legally bound to complete background checks or keep any records of gun sales.

Those loopholes put us all at risk.

“There’s overwhelming consensus in the sixth district of Pennsylvania and throughout the country that requiring background checks for every gun sale makes logical sense,” Comitta said regarding a recent poll in favor of background checks. She said the county’s representatives in Washington, D.C. should vote in favor of the tighter restrictions so that more people will not face the possibility they will be put in fear by someone who should not have been able to own a gun.

West Chester Councilwoman Cassandra Jones discussed that private gun sales include going to gun shows and “buying guns from trunks” of cars. Jones compared the accessibility to purchasing a hot dog from a hot dog stand. She said the public has to educate others about this.

As well, Downingtown Mayor Josh Maxwell told a story of a domestic that lead to the death of a Downingtown resident who was shot five times. He said he realizes a required background check would not have saved her life. He said even if one person cannot get a gun, due to a background check, that is one life saved. This is about the future, he said.

As mayors, we have a responsibility to keep the public safe,” said Maxwell.

“In order to enforce our laws prohibiting criminals from buying gun, we have to have background checks, and there has to be a record of the sale.”

“Background checks will not and do not keep guns out of the hands of law abiding citizens,” Comitta said. She said they can keep guns out of the hands of those who cannot legally carry.”

Common sense prevailed at the event on Saturday, We hope it will in votes on Capitol Hill later this year.